Heir
by noroadsleft
Summary: The King of Wei has gone missing. Now his prodigy, Cao Pi must take the throne of Wei as he goes to any and all lengths to retrieve his father. Even if that means leading the Kingdom of Wei to war.
1. Chapter 1: Growing a Warlord

This is a side series that I've started working on in my spare time. It isn't an exact rendition of the video game, although many of the characters are the same. Chapters won't be posted on any regular basis, it'll just be as I complete them. Comments are always welcome, otherwise enjoy.

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GROWING A WARLORD

Blades rammed into each other, causing a tremendous shockwave that shook the air. One man, wearing blue-tinted battle armor, wielded a sword with a wide blade and golden hilt as he pressed against his enemy. This other man, ghostly-pale skin and wearing dark-purple armor, looked at his opponent through lavender eyes without the slightest trace of concern. He wielded a sword that had a black hilt and purple blade that was intricately designed, with a crescent forged into the shape near the tip.

As the two men pressed their blades against each other, they built up all of their strength and let out an aura of energy that pounded the very earth itself.

"You will not get by me!" the first man shouted.

The second man took a small grin before saying, "If you think you can keep me away from what I want, you are sadly mistaken." The second man focused energy into his sword, causing an aura of purple energy to erupt around the blade.

The first man then braced himself and aimed the fingers on one hand at the second man's gut. " _Bullet Bombardment!_ " A volley of tiny bullets made of white energy fired off from his fingertips, hitting the second man in the gut and knocking him back a step, while the first man stepped in and swung his sword with all his strength. The sword hit the second man's armor like a club, knocking him back and sending him crashing into a large boulder.

The skies overhead were overtaken with dark-gray, menacing clouds that cast a shadowy darkness over the battlefield. The two warriors battled on a rocky surface with large boulders surrounding them.

The first man aimed the tip of his sword at the second man, and the blade became surrounded in white energy that had a bluish hue. The second man climbed out of the remains of the boulder with a grin on his face and came to a kneel, panting as he leered at the first man.

"Cao Song," the second man said. "You are not going to prevent me from getting what I desire."

"You will not get past me here, Akuma," Cao Song declared as he kept the current of energy around his blade.

"There's nothing you can do to stop me," Akuma said as he rose to his feet. He held his sword at his side and formed a current of purple energy around the blade, and he aimed the tip at Cao Song in a mirror image of him.

"Are you prepared to bring this battle to an end?" Cao Song asked.

"Are you prepared to die?" Akuma responded, his grin unfading.

The two men fired a beam of energy from each of their blade tips, which crashed into each other and formed a connecting torrent between them. At the center of the torrent was a massive collection of energy that was steadily building up power. Cao Song and Akuma both held their ground against each other, putting all their might into their blades to keep from being overpowered. At first the two energy torrents kept level with each other, but after a moment, the connection between the two beams began to steadily creep towards Cao Song. A bead of sweat rolled down Cao Song's face as he tried to keep his grip strong, and Akuma's grin widened as he took a step forward.

As Cao Song tried to maintain his stance, Akuma swung his sword down, sending the energy in all its power forward while he swung his sword again, sending a second arc of energy behind it. Cao Song's eyes widened as he looked on in terror, and all of Akuma's energy overpowered his before colliding into him in all its fury, blasting up dust and rubble into the air. After the destruction cleared, Cao Song lay on the ground with blood all over him, his sword clutched loosely in his hand. Akuma walked towards him with his sword held at his side, and Cao Song struggled to bring himself around and look at him.

Cao Song tightened the grip around his sword, but Akuma's blade slashed through his wrist, causing Cao Song to scream in pain as his sword clattered to the ground. Cao Song desperately put pressure on the wound as he tried to crawl away from Akuma, but Akuma paid him no mind as he walked past. He made his way towards a stone temple set at the edge of a large cliff.

Akuma entered the temple, and inside was a black stone emitting lavender light. The stone sat atop a stone pillar, and its light gave an eerie glow to the temple walls. Akuma's eyes grew hungry as he stepped forward, closing in on the stone with malicious determination. In moments he closed the gap between himself and the stone, and as he came in front of it, Akuma stood there staring at it, admiring it in all its beauty.

" _Stop!_ "

Akuma turned around, no longer smiling, to see Cao Song leaning against the temple entrance, panting heavily as he looked at Akuma. Cao Song's vision was blurred, but his teeth gritted in determination nonetheless as he tightened the grip around his sword. "I won't let you have it!"

"The Everstone," Akuma commented. He turned back to look at the small, black rock as he explained, "It makes the wielder ageless. I could live forever and never become a day older than I am now. With it in my grasp, I could conquer the planet and raise an empire that lasts millennia. And I'll be here to see every day of it."

"No, you won't," Cao Song panted. "I won't let you have your reign. To my dying breath I will make sure that you do not get your rule. Even if that means taking you down with me."

A tendril of purple energy pierced Cao Song's shoulder, causing his eyes to widen in shock as blood spattered out. Akuma had his sword held out, the energy tendril spawning off the tip.

"Y-You," Cao Song stuttered, barely audible.

Akuma flashed a small grin before tightening the grip around his sword, and he swung it down, causing the energy tendril to sever Cao Song's arm completely. As Akuma brought his sword around, Cao Song dropped to his knees, looking on hopelessly at Akuma as blood dribbled down his chin. Akuma swung his sword around, the energy tendril tearing through the walls of the temple, and tore through Cao Song's body, bifurcating him completely. The two halves of Cao Song's body collapsed to the ground, spilling blood across the stone floor of the temple.

As Akuma walked past him, stepping right through the blood pool as if it wasn't there, he put the Everstone in his chest, the intricacies of his breastplate keeping the stone in place. The stone then sent an aura of lavender, smoke-like energy across Akuma's body, and as it enveloped him completely, his pupils and sclera both faded to black, while his irises remained purple. Akuma came away from the temple and stood at the edge of the cliff, overlooking the land below. He had a malevolent grin on his face as he thought to himself, _Time to conquer the world._

A week later, in a modest household, a young boy at the age of nine looked up at an ornamental sword hanging on the wall above a fireplace. The boy had dark hair in a short ponytail, and he wore a light-gray t-shirt and pants. He was on his knees as he looked up at the sword, when footsteps behind him made his eyes widen.

"Cao Cao."

The boy turned around to see a woman in pink, patterned garb looking at him. She had a somewhat stern expression on her face, but there was a hint of pity in her eyes. Cao Cao rose to his feet and said, "Yes, Mother?"

"Your father will be back soon. Until then, finish your training so you can do your chores," the woman said to him.

Cao Cao bowed respectfully and said, "Yes, Mother."

He made for the front door, but when he opened it, there were two men standing there. They both looked down at Cao Cao, and then at his mother, who watched them with a look of suppressed shock.

"Lady Jeie?" one of the men asked.

"Yes," the woman answered as she walked over to stand next to her son.

"I'm very sorry to have to report this to you, but your husband was killed in battle."

Lady Jeie's eyes widened in shock as her jaw hung open, and Cao Cao looked at the two men in horror. "What?" Lady Jeie said, unable to comprehend what she had just heard.

"What did you just say?" Cao Cao asked.

The two men looked down at him in sympathy, and Cao Cao shouted out, "Shut your mouth!" The nine-year-old looked at them in rage as tears welled in his eyes. "Don't you dare! Don't you dare tell me that he's gone!" Cao Cao then collapsed to his knees, arms on the ground in front of him as he sobbed uncontrollably.

Lady Jeie came to her knees next to her son and caressed him consolingly, and she looked up at the two men, thanking them before they made their departure.

"No! No!" Cao Cao said, tears wetting the carpet under him.

"Cao Cao, get up. Stop crying," Lady Jeie said to him.

" _No!_ " Cao Cao shot to his feet and came away from his mother's grasp, glaring at her in utter rage. Agony contorted his face as he looked at his mother, who only looked back at him in sympathy. "It didn't need to happen!" Cao Cao said. "He didn't need to go down like this!"

"It doesn't matter, he's gone," Lady Jeie told him.

"Then I'm gonna find who did it, and I'm going to kill them!" Cao Cao declared angrily.

"You speak, but all I heard is that you're going to follow in your father's footsteps and die an early death," Lady Jeie said coldly.

This statement caught Cao Cao by surprise, and he then turned his back on his mother and looked out at the sun.

"Fine," he stated. "I'll get stronger. Each and every day until I can fight the man that killed my Dad. And I'm _going_ to kill him."

Lady Jeie's eyes narrowed as she looked at her son, but she didn't say a word.

Twenty-five years later, a young boy stood on top of a cliff, overlooking the sunrise. He had brown hair that hung at the bottom of his neck, and he looked on with determination. He wore a dark-blue shirt with a jacket over it, and black pants.

"You're up early, Cao Pi."

The boy turned around to see a man of thirty-four-years-old looking down at him. The man wore an elegant robe, and he stood with his hands crossed in his sleeves. He had black hair in a bun at the back of his head, and he had a black mustache and goatee.

"Dad," Cao Pi addressed.

"What are you doing out here?" the man asked.

"I wanted to get an early start on training," Cao Pi answered. "I want to get as strong as I can before I join the military."

"You won't be joining the military anytime soon," Cao Pi's father informed him. "You're only eight right now. You have to be thirteen before you can join the military. And even then you'll only be doing scouting missions and small reconnaissance training. You have plenty of time to get strong before then."

"But Dad, I don't even have my Soul!" Cao Pi objected.

"And neither does anyone else your age," Cao Pi's father told him. "All of that will come in time, as will your weapon."

"The Fang," Cao Pi said.

His father nodded and said, "Being a warrior takes time. It takes years of training and learning. And rushing into things will not make it go any more smoothly. You'll only end up setting yourself back. Have patience, and I promise you will see brilliant results."

"Lord Cao Cao."

The two looked back at a house, where a woman stood at a doorway looking at them.

"Yes, Lady Bian," the man said as he looked at the woman with a pleasant smile.

Cao Pi maintained an expressionless face as he looked between his mother and his father.

"Come in and have breakfast before it gets cold," Lady Bian said to the two of them.

"We're coming," Cao Cao said. "Remember what I said," Cao Cao said to his son. "Patience bares fruit, no matter how long it takes." Cao Cao walked towards the house, leaving Cao Pi to remain in place, looking after them for several seconds before following behind his father.

Three years later, Cao Pi had his hand held out in front of him, palm facing up, and his eyes were wide in awe as a light-blue glow lit up his face.

"Excellent, son!" Cao Cao said proudly.

A ball of transparent, light-blue energy sat in Cao Pi's palm, illuminating the environment around it.

"This is it?" Cao Pi asked, not taking his eyes off the energy.

"Yes, that is your Soul," Cao Cao answered. "It is the base of your inner powers. It's something that we Warlords master to aid us in combat. Once you learn to summon it fluently, you will learn to weaponize it, providing you a unique and devastating advantage on the warfront. Cao Zhang! Come!"

A young man of sixteen-years-old came over to the two of them, looking at Cao Pi's Soul with a pleasant satisfaction. Cao Zhang had soft facial features, and he wore a dark-green shirt and pants, with an armored vest covering it.

"Show your brother your own Soul, Cao Zhang," Cao Cao ordered.

"Yes, Sir," Cao Zhang complied. He held out his own hand, and a ball of energy appeared in his palm as well, similar to Cao Pi's accept aqua-blue in color.

"Excellent," Cao Cao said. "Now show your brother how to wield it."

Cao Zhang nodded, and he focused on the energy in his palm, which then began spiraling in place. The energy changed, morphing into water in front of Cao Pi's eyes as the young boy looked on in shock. While maintaining hold on the water in his palm, Cao Zhang reached his hand around and grabbed a black shaft on his back. He swung the spear around and slashed the air, bringing the blade into the ground and letting out a line of water that gouged out the ground as it traveled as far as the eye could see. The curved blade of the spear sat at the root of the crevasse in the ground, and Cao Pi looked on with wide eyes, having long since lost his hold on his own Soul.

"Our weapons serve as conduits for our powers," Cao Zhang explained. "My spear, the Islander, can't be beaten by any normal blade. One day, you're going to learn how to control your own Soul, and I guarantee you'll be more powerful than anyone."

As these words registered with Cao Pi, his lips slowly curved into a smile, and at the same time, Cao Cao looked down at his boys with immense pride.

A year later, Cao Pi, Cao Cao, and Cao Zhang stood in a hall, brilliantly lit and adorned with gold tapestries and furniture.

"This is the Hall of the Destined," Cao Cao announced. "Each new Warlord is given his own weapon, crafted by the Gods. You will imbue it with the energy of your Soul to make the weapon your own. Each Warlord's weapon has its own Soul, and your Souls must interact with each other and accept one another in order to become truly great. It is a battle that you will fight every day as a Warlord. Only when your Souls have fully accepted each other will you become truly strong. Cao Pi, are you ready to accept your weapon?"

"Yes, Father!" Cao Pi said. He stood tall, his chest was held out in pride, and as Cao Cao stood across from him, Cao Zhang stood to the side, looking at his brother.

"Very well, then," Cao Cao declared.

He looked over to a doorway, where a pair of men dressed in full-body robes and masks that covered everything except their eyes stepped forward. They held between them a large, maroon cushion. Sitting on the cushion was a magnificent, double-bladed sword with a bronze handle. Both blades were double-edged, and they glowed from the candlelight that lit the Hall. The two men came to Cao Cao and Cao Pi's side, standing opposite of Cao Zhang, and held the cushion with the sword in it to Cao Cao. Cao Cao grabbed the sword's handle and wielded it, holding it vertically in front of Cao Pi.

"Cao Pi, as a son of mine and a member of this Kingdom, I present to you the weapon you shall carry with you until the day you die. Wield this weapon as if it were your own body. Train with this weapon, grow with this weapon, become stronger. The more you battle, the closer you and your blade will become. You will pledge yourself to your family and your Kingdom, to fight and defend us with all that you are, and if need be, die in the name of your people. Do you accept this?"

"I do, Father," Cao Pi said boldly.

"Then my Son, I present to you, the Fang."

Cao Cao held out the weapon, and Cao Pi grasped it firmly, taking it from his father and holding it with the utmost pride. The two who presented the Fang bowed before Cao Pi as the light from the Fang glowed over them.

"Cao Zhang, bow before your brother," Cao Cao commanded. "For on this day he is now a man. He is now a Warlord."

Cao Zhang and Cao Cao both bowed before Cao Pi, and he grasped the Fang with both hands, bringing the lower tip down to touch the ground.

A year later, Cao Pi and Cao Zhang faced each other, each holding their weapons ready to attack. Cao Pi's hair had grown down nearly to his shoulders, and he held it in a ponytail while some of it framed his face. Cao Zhang had his hair in a bun with a small tuft hanging out the bottom, and he grasped the Islander with both hands, the tip aimed at Cao Pi. Cao Cao stood at the threshold of the Cao home, watching his sons while his wife stood by him.

"You enter the Wei Kingdom's military alongside your brother tomorrow, Cao Pi," Cao Cao declared. "You must prove yourself worthy of serving this Kingdom. Is that something you think you can do?"

Cao Pi took on a confident grin as he nodded.

"Then prove yourself. Battle your brother, and in this fight show me that you have what it takes to be a true Warlord."

"I will!" Cao Pi declared.

Cao Zhang spun his spear in his hand continuously, and as he did this, water trailed from the blade, forming a ring at Cao Zhang's side.

"Be prepared, Brother!" Cao Zhang shouted. " _Oceanic Surge!_ " Cao Zhang swung his spear so that the tip pointed directly at Cao Pi, and the weapon emitted a powerful torrent of water that shot straight at the younger boy.

Cao Pi's grin widened as he saw this coming, and he stepped to the side as the Oceanic Surge came past. Cao Pi wielded the Fang as he shot straight at Cao Zhang, who discontinued his Oceanic Surge in preparation for his brother's arrival. As Cao Pi closed the gap between them, he swung his weapon at Cao Zhang, who parried him with his spear. Their arms were thrown away from each other, but Cao Pi took a step in and swung his blade once more. Cao Zhang came to the side of the attack, allowing the blade to swing past him, and he spun in a full circle before swinging his spear at Cao Pi. Cao Pi saw this coming and held his blade out in front of him, but Cao Zhang's spear rammed into the Fang with furious strength, knocking Cao Pi back through the air.

Cao Pi landed on the ground and quickly scrambled to his feet, but Cao Zhang brought his spear back and said, " _Tidal Force!_ "

Cao Zhang swung the blade of his spear across the ground, forming a stream of water that shot across the ground at Cao Pi. Cao Pi watched it come, not knowing what to expect, when the Tidal Force collided into him and exploded into a powerful burst of water that knocked him off his feet and submerged him in a wave. Cao Pi slashed through the water and freed himself, and he faced Cao Zhang with his sword raised. Cao Zhang faced his brother with his spear held ready, prepared to either attack or defend. Cao Cao watched his sons without expression, thoroughly analyzing every move they made.

As Cao Pi stared down Cao Zhang, he tightened the grip around his sword, causing an aura of light-blue energy to envelop the weapon. Cao Zhang braced himself for what was to come, and as Cao Pi focused his energy, both blades of the Fang became coated in ice. Cao Zhang focused his energy into his spear, causing the blade to become enveloped in a coat of water, and the two brothers prepared to clash. Cao Pi charged in with his ice blade ready, and Cao Zhang prepared to strike. Cao Pi closed the gap between them, and Cao Zhang swung the Islander at him, but the spear's blade was repelled by the Fang.

As Cao Zhang's arms were knocked away, leaving him wide open, Cao Pi swung the second blade of the Fang across his brother's gut. While Cao Zhang's armor managed to ward off most of the force, the ice surrounding the blade strengthened the Fang to the point that it was able to pierce through, grazing Cao Zhang's gut. Cao Zhang's teeth gritted in pain, and as he attempted to make a counterattack, Cao Pi swung the Fang at him. Instead of making direct contact, ice sprung up off the ground, attacking Cao Zhang and forming multiple large spikes, stopping him in his tracks and leaving him immobilized.

Cao Cao watched with eyes widened in shock, and as blood dripped to the ground from several shallow wounds across Cao Zhang's body, the older brother looked at the younger with an astounded expression. Cao Pi had a confident, almost malevolent grin on his face as he looked proudly at his work, and he held the fore blade of the Fang at Cao Zhang's throat. Cao Zhang was unable to counterattack, all moves impeded by ice, and he was left to simply stand there, the sunlight reflecting off the blade and glinting in his eyes.

"Unbelievable," Cao Cao said as he continued to look at his sons. _To have such a masterful control of his Soul energy so young. It's almost unheard of. He could become more powerful than any of us._

Cao Pi took his blade from his brother's throat, and as he stepped back, he swung the Fang, causing the ice to shatter and cascade across the ground. Cao Zhang relaxed his posture as he put the Islander in the sling on his back, and he watched his brother with an analytical expression.

"How was that, Father?" Cao Pi asked.

He looked confidently over to Cao Cao, who merely remained silent as he eyed his youngest son. Lady Bian watched from a window of the house, her eyes slightly narrowed in an almost sorrowful expression.

The next day, Cao Pi joined his brother in the Wei Kingdom military, starting out as a Cadet. He excelled in all of his training, astounding his masters who worked to advance him further through the ranks. After one year he had completed one hundred and thirteen missions, substantially more than anyone else of his age or experience level. At the age of fourteen he was promoted to Private—he was renowned as the youngest Private in the entire Kingdom of Wei. Cao Zhang had been in the military for nearly four years before being promoted to a Private.

The Wei military was structured into seven ranks: Everyone started out at the age of thirteen as a Cadet. As they gained experience on missions and progressed through their combat training, they were eventually promoted to Privates. Privates led teams of four Cadets to perform their missions for the Kingdom. Squads of Private-led Cadets routinely performed reconnaissance missions and intelligence gathering. If something odd happened in the Kingdom such as a wild animal appearing within a residential area, a Private and his Cadets were dispatched to handle the problem.

Privates and Cadets also served as the primary domestic police force of the Kingdom. They intervened in crimes and served charges to the people of Wei for committing them. On very rare occasions, Privates would be enlisted into the higher forces for light combat. As a Private's military service continued on, they would eventually be promoted to Scouts.

Scouts were the infantrymen of the military, participating in the majority of ground combat during wartime circumstances. Scouts were led in teams of four by Captains. Captains possessed considerable combat skill and generally had service records extending across fifteen to twenty years. Leading the Captains were First Class Officers. FCOs led battalions of Captains and their Scouts into battle. FCOs were not assigned in any large number to a particular battle, but they were fully capable of handling entire squads of enemies singlehandedly.

Above them were the Second Class Officers. SCOs were fewer in number than FCOs, but they were typically the most powerful force on the battlefield. Any army did not contain more than five SCOs per battle, and wherever an SCO was in a war, a trail of bodies was left behind them. Leading the SCOs, and providing all oversight to the military were the Generals. The Kingdom of Wei had six Generals in service, and they reported directly to the King.

The King ruled all aspects of the Kingdom; military, finance, construction, economy and all other aspects of a civilization. The King's throne was occupied by Cao Cao, who was renowned across the world as the greatest King to have ever graced the Wei throne. Under his rule, Wei had seen the greatest prosperity since its inception more than one hundred years previously. Cao Song had held the throne of Wei before his death, and upon his demise, kingship had been haphazardly given to Cao Song's brother, Cao Shou. Cao Shou had had a very shaky leadership during which he struggled to maintain the Kingdom.

However, at the age of thirty, after having surpassed all of his peers in the military and serving four years as a General, Cao Cao was given the throne while Cao Shou was allowed to retire. He and Lady Bian had been married four years by this time, and Cao Zhang had been three years old when Cao Cao took the throne. Cao Pi was born two years afterwards and lived in the luxury of royalty. The castle of Wei, located in the very center of the capital city of Shouma, was where Cao Cao's primary ruling duties took place. And while the King routinely spent most of his time in Shouma castle, he kept his family in a home on the outskirts of the city. One time when he was younger, Cao Pi asked why this was. Cao Cao stated that it was so he could remain close to his family, and not have all of his time taken up by his responsibilities as King when they were around.

Fourteen years after he joined the military, Cao Pi held the rank of Second Class Officer. He was highly regarded as being as much of a prodigy as his father, and many stood confident that Cao Pi would be next in line for the throne. Cao Zhang was a First Class Officer, who had not seen the fame that his younger brother had, but still remained fiercely loyal to his family and his Kingdom. Cao Pi walked down a torch-lit hallway, the Fang mounted on his back. His brown hair was almost down to his back, still in its ponytail. He wore elegant, luxurious clothing with hidden armor protection, which was completed with a blue cape that was pinned at the chest.

As he walked, several sentries that he passed immediately stopped to salute him, which he made no remark to. As Cao Pi approached a closed door with a sentry on either side, the door was opened for him, and he walked through without a word.

"Lord Cao Pi!" A man addressed upon his entry.

"As you were," Cao Pi said. "Have you heard from my father?" he asked.

"No, sir," the man answered. "We have not had any contact with him since he departed."

 _That was almost two weeks ago,_ Cao Pi thought to himself. _I'm used to my father being gone for long periods of time, but he at least makes an effort to let us know he's still alive. I'll give it another three days. After that I'm going searching._

As soon as this thought left his mind, the door was thrown open. Cao Pi turned around with a mildly shocked expression, and he found a man hunched over, panting heavily as he looked at Cao Pi. He was a man in his late thirties, who wore a white robe and turban that had a breastplate over it. An enormous, single-bladed axe was gripped in the man's muscular arms, and the blade was stained in blood.

"Xu Huang, what is it? What's happened?" Cao Pi asked. "Where is my father?"

"I…I don't know," Xu Huang admitted shamefully.

"What do you mean you don't know? You were supposed to be on the task force guarding him. What on Earth happened?" Cao Pi asked, growing angrier by the second.

"W-We were ambushed," Xu Huang said. We tried to repel them, but there were so many of them, and they were so powerful. We couldn't do anything. Lord Cao Pi, I-I'm sorry, but your father is missing. I have no idea where he is."

Cao Pi took in these words, and as they registered in his brain, he grew an expression of foul retribution. As Cao Pi walked past he said, "Xu Huang, you're with me."

Xu Huang promptly followed him, and as they walked back down the hall Cao Pi had come, he asked, "What are you going to do, my Lord?"

"What do you think?" Cao Pi said without looking at him. The two men came to an exit and looked out at the sunlight shining down on the Kingdom of Wei. "We're going to find my father. And we're going to slaughter those who took him."


	2. Chapter 2: Ghosts

GHOSTS

The door opened, and Cao Zhang looked around. His eyes widened, and they then narrowed as Cao Pi walked in. Cao Pi had a look of utmost rage on his face as he looked back at Cao Zhang.

"What do we know so far?" Cao Zhang asked.

Xu Huang walked in behind Cao Pi and they all stood in a triangle.

"Not much," Cao Pi answered. "Apparently a group of fiends attacked our father and his group. They wielded tremendous power of darkness that overwhelmed our Lord and his bodyguards."

"Where are Xu Zhu, Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan?" Cao Zhang asked.

"We know no more of them than we do Father," Cao Pi answered. "All four of them were taken by this unknown force. Xu Huang was the only one who was able to make it back alive."

Xu Huang looked solemnly at Cao Zhang, as if he deeply lamented being spared.

"Then we need to go and search for him," Cao Zhang stated. "If we go long without our King, Wei will fall into chaos. Word will eventually spread to our enemies, and they will see it as an opportunity to strike."

"We will depart immediately," Cao Pi ordered.

"I will come as well," Xu Huang offered. "I will not rest until I find who took Lord Cao Cao."

"You will stay here, Xu Huang," Cao Pi countered. Xu Huang looked affronted at this, and Cao Pi continued, "We need as many able-bodied people as possible to help defend the Kingdom in the event of attack. We already have enemies that want us eradicated. On top of that, whoever is responsible may have done this as a way of weakening us for an attack as well. We need to be ready for anything." Xu Huang did not look convinced as he looked at Cao Pi as if almost begging him to let him come along.

"Besides," Cao Pi with a glint in his eye. "This is a family matter. He is our father. This is something that we must combat. If it becomes something that is too much for us, then we will involve the rest of the Kingdom. Until this, I ask that you keep as much of this between the three of us as possible."

Xu Huang thought it over for a moment until he finally nodded. "Let me get a map," Xu Huang said. "I can show you the route we took and where the battle took place."

"Thank you," Cao Zhang said as Xu Huang left the house.

A minute after he left, the door opened again and Lady Bian entered. She had a horrified expression as she looked between her two sons, who only had shame and solemnity to give her in return.

"Is it true?" Lady Bian asked in barely more than a whisper. "Is he really missing?"

"It appears so, Mother," Cao Zhang stated in sorrow.

"We will find him," Cao Pi stated confidently. Lady Bian looked at him, slightly taken aback by his firmness, and Cao Pi continued, "This Kingdom has the mightiest military force on the planet. There is nothing we cannot accomplish, and I'll be damned if we lose the King and our Father to some pathetic excuse for an enemy force. We will find who did this to the Cao family, and they will regret the day they were conceived."

Cao Pi looked at his mother with a murderous glare, and as she saw the intent in his eye, she became reassured.

"Let's go, Zhang," Cao Pi said. "Let's go find our Father."

Two hours later, the pounding of hooves echoed through a forest as Cao Pi and Cao Zhang rode on horseback into the wilderness.

"This is the route that Xu Huang indicated to us," Cao Pi stated.

"What was Father even doing out here?" Cao Zhang asked.

"He wouldn't tell me much," Cao Pi admitted. "All he said was that he was gathering intel on an enemy force that appeared to be on the rise."

"Doesn't he have a Kingdom full of people who can do that?" Cao Zhang asked.

Cao Pi then took on a mischievous grin and said, "There are certain things that our Father will not allow anyone else to partake in. He brought a force of some of the most powerful Warlords that Wei has to offer. And you know as well as I do the one thing that he would come all the way out here for."

The two came to a halt on their horses, and as Cao Zhang looked at his brother in shock, he said, "Akuma?"

"That's right," Cao Pi said with a grin. "The man who killed our grandfather, and whom Father has been hunting since well before you or I was born. Our father has dedicated his entire life to bringing Akuma down. He built an entire Kingdom based solely on the goal of waging war on this demon of darkness. And based on what Xu Huang told us about those who attacked him, I would say they got close."

Cao Zhang looked aghast as the two continued forward at a trot, keeping their eyes open for anything out of the ordinary. Eventually, they came upon a clearing in the trees which led to a small pasture. When the horses came into this pasture, the Cao brothers' eyes widened in shock. A multitude of craters littered the ground, and branches were broken off some trees while others were completely uprooted.

Cao Zhang looked around with his jaw agape, and he said, "What happened here?"

"What do you think?" Cao Pi said as he looked around with a straight face. "This is clearly where it happened, whatever it was. This is where our father was taken."

"We need to split up," Cao Zhang said, "cover more ground. I'll take the east side, you take the west. Let's find out what happened."

Cao Pi nodded in agreement, and his horse galloped off to the left while Cao Zhang's went right. Cao Pi went deeper into the forest with his eyes pried open, and he remained ever determined to find clues on his father's whereabouts. Cao Zhang, headed in the opposite direction, looked in all directions for more hints of battle, but could not find anything out of the ordinary. After ten minutes of searching, something caught his attention, and his eyes widened.

Cao Pi slowly came forward on his horse, and his eyes were narrowed suspiciously as he looked around. His horse took another step forward before coming to a stop, and Cao Pi grabbed the Fang sheathed on his back. A monstrous force suddenly shook the earth, causing Cao Pi's eyes to widen, and his horse started bucking and neighing wildly, forcing Cao Pi to dismount. As soon as his feet hit the ground, his horse galloped off, but Cao Pi paid this no mind as he walked cautiously towards the source of the disturbance. He pulled the Fang out of its scabbard and wielded it in one hand, and he stepped around a tree, looking around for whatever had caused the quake. Cao Pi took another step forward, and a bloodcurdling scream rent the air, echoing off the trees and scraping at Cao Pi's eardrums.

" _Zhang!_ " Cao Pi shouted upon recognition of the voice.

Cao Pi hurtled through the forest towards Cao Zhang's scream, and after a moment he tore through the trees, and came to a screeching halt. Cao Zhang was on his hands and knees, and blood dripped to the ground from multiple wounds across his body. As Cao Pi witnessed this, he looked up to see two men, one wearing red armor, the other wearing dark-blue. They were bare-chested, but they had gauntlets, leg armor, and helmets. The one with red armor had a sword with black hilt and silver blade, and the other one had a spear with black shaft and silver, diamond-shaped blade.

"Who the hell are you supposed to be?" Cao Pi asked as he aimed the tip of the Fang at them.

The red-armored man took on a malevolent grin and said, "You ask who we are? Do you live under a rock or something?"

"We are the Brothers Shimozuma," the blue-armored man said with a scowl. "I am Rairen. This is Rairyu." He indicated the red-armored man as Rairyu, who stood proudly over an injured Cao Zhang as he leered at Cao Pi.

Cao Pi then took on a grin and said, "The Brothers Shimozuma. I'm honored to be in the presence of such great warriors. Tell me, was it you who captured my father?"

"Lord Cao Cao?" Rairyu asked. "We heard about that. Sorry, we can't really say."

"Very well," Cao Pi said as he poised the Fang for attack. "Then I'll just have to beat you mercilessly until you cough up what I need."

Cao Pi tightened his single-handed grip around the Fang, and both blades became shrouded in ice as Cao Pi braced himself to charge. Rairyu held his sword out, and a powerful current of electricity sparked across the blade.

" _Lightning Pulse!_ "

Rairyu swung his sword outwards and unleashed a powerful wave of electricity that came at Cao Pi, whose eyes narrowed as he braced himself for its arrival. Cao Pi leaped over the lightning wave as it rolled past, and he came down on top of Rairyu with his ice-enhanced blade swinging. Rairyu parried Cao Pi's attack as the latter hit the ground, and as Rairyu tried to follow through, Cao Pi placed his palm on Rairyu's gut. Ice formed from Cao Pi's hand, spreading across Rairyu's armor and quickly overtaking him. Rairyu gasped in fear as he tried to get away, and as Cao Pi looked on with a malicious grin, something caught his eye and made him look around.

A current of electricity raged across the ground at Cao Pi, who took his hand off Rairyu and leaped into the air, allowing the current to pass Rairyu up as Cao Pi landed in a nearby tree. As Rairyu used the butt of his sword to knock the ice off, Rairen looked up at Cao Pi with his spear raised. Cao Pi's glance kept both of them in check, and as they all waited for someone to make a move, Cao Pi took on a grin and said, "It's about time."

Water rushed across the ground from the forest, coming straight at the Shimozuma Brothers as they were both caught off guard.

"What the hell!?" Rairyu said as they both leaped into the air.

A form shot out of the trees, and Cao Zhang came at Rairen with his spear raised, the tip aimed at Rairen's throat. Rairen caught Cao Zhang's shaft with his own, and he kicked Cao Zhang back down, sending him crashing into the ground.

As the two brothers began their descent, Cao Pi held his sword to his side and built up his energy, and after a moment he said, " _Ice Shard Strike!_ "

He swung his sword around and fired off four large ice shards, as big as Cao Pi's forearm, and they shot at the Shimozuma Brothers as their attention remained on Cao Zhang. They both saw the ice shards coming just in time, and they swung their weapons around and knocked the shards away just before landing on the ground. Cao Zhang recovered and bore his spear, and the four of them stared each other down waiting for each other to strike.

"Tell me now," Cao Pi demanded, "were you the ones behind my father's disappearance?"

The Shimozuma Brothers had sly grins on their faces, and Rairen said, "It doesn't matter whether we tell you, because even if we were the ones, Lord Cao Cao will be dead before long."

"If you truly believe that, then you have no idea what our father is capable of," Cao Pi stated as he prepared to strike again.

"Maybe not," Rairen agreed. "But we know the capabilities of those who took him. And rest assured, Officers of Wei, you have no chance of retrieving your Father. Nor will you repel what is coming."

"What do you mean?" Cao Zhang demanded.

"Sorry, we'd love to stick around," Rairyu said, "but we need to get going."

"Don't even think about it!" Cao Pi yelled.

He put the tip of his sword in the ground, causing large ice spikes to erupt out of the earth in a line towards the two. Cao Zhang swung his spear at the ground, sending a powerful current of water at the same time.

Rairen swung his sword at the air and called out, " _Thunder God Shield!_ "

Dozens of electric tendrils burst from his spear, twisting around the two to form a wall, which the Cao Brothers' attacks crashed into without doing any damage.

Cao Pi looked on angrily as the Shimozuma brothers turned their backs on them, and Rairyu said, "We'll see you guys again. On the frontlines of war."

In an instant, the two turned into electricity and vanished, along with their Thunder God Shield.

" _Dammit!_ " Cao Zhang spat.

Cao Pi remained silent, letting his guard down and glaring at the spot where the two disappeared.

Two hours later, Cao Pi and Cao Zhang were back at Wei Kingdom, situated in a war council room where several people were gathered. Many of the people in the audience were clad in weapons and armor, and Xu Huang stood at the head of them with his battle ax in its sling on his back. Cao Pi and Cao Zhang faced the crowd, and while Cao Zhang was in the background, Cao Pi was at the command.

"We do not know what forces have assaulted this Kingdom," Cao Pi stated. "Whatever it is, it has proven powerful enough to coerce great warriors such as the Brothers Shimozuma to its cause."

Several people in the audience seemed unsettled by this, and Xu Huang's eyes narrowed.

"As of right now, the Kingdom of Wei is at war," Cao Pi declared. "We must fight to get my Father and our King back in his rightful place. To that end, I hereby take command of Wei's military force. Strategies will be drawn up, and we will deploy where necessary in order to ensure maximum efficiency. We will also be sending small squads of First and Second Class Officers into the field to gather intelligence. The more we can find out about our enemy the better prepared we will be to eliminate them. On top of that, if our forces are attacked, word will reach these squads of Officers and they will be able to provide reinforcements. All of you be on standby. Alert your forces to what is happening and make sure that they are at the peak of battle-readiness. We need to be able to deploy as soon as possible."

After a second of pause, Cao Pi added, "They will regret the day they decided to mess with this Kingdom."

As the war council slowly began to clear, Xu Huang remained behind.

"What do you need of me, my Lord?" Xu Huang asked.

"You are the only one here who has had first-hand experience with Akuma's fiendish cohorts," Cao Pi stated. "You will provide valuable intelligence to me that I will use to help us counter our enemy."

"Are we not telling them who is behind this?" Cao Zhang asked as he stepped forward.

"Not yet," Cao Pi answered. "For the simple fact that we have no confirmation that it _is_ in fact Akuma. We don't want to prepare for something and then find out everything we hypothesized was wrong. That would end in complete disaster. And also…." Cao Pi seemed reluctant to finish his statement, but finally he said, "The name Akuma drives fear into those who hear it. He is a mechanism of chaos and destruction. His very essence is tantamount of the devil himself. If our people know they are up against someone like that, they may have second thoughts about fighting. We need to keep morale as high as possible."

Xu Huang nodded in understanding, but a voice at the room entrance called out, "Lord Cao Pi!"

Cao Pi, Cao Zhang, and Xu Huang all looked around to see a messenger at the entryway, and he said, "There is someone outside who wishes to speak with you."

"Who is it?" Cao Pi asked as he moved toward the doorway.

"She would not say."

As Cao Pi stepped outside, his eyes narrowed. Standing twenty feet away waiting for him was a man and a woman. The man had rusty-brown hair down to his shoulders, and he wore a white trench coat with black trim over red shirt and black pants. He had black, fingerless gloves and a gold-hilted sword at his waist. The woman had dark-red lips, purple eye shadow, and maroon hair that was in a braided ponytail down her back. She wore a pink sleeveless shirt that was open at the belly, with pants that were open at the thighs. She stood with her hands behind her back as she watched Cao Pi.

As Cao Pi walked up to the pair, looking the woman up and down, he said, "Can I help you with something?"

"Yes," the woman said politely. "This is Mitsunari Ishida," she indicated the man next to her, who remained silent and looked at Cao Pi with a cold, calculating expression. "I am Da Ji," the woman stated. "I was made aware of the predicament your Kingdom is facing, and I wanted to speak with his Lord's prodigy."

"About what?" Cao Pi asked suspiciously.

"I want to extend the offer of an alliance."


	3. Chapter 3: Alliances

ALLIANCES

"An alliance?" Cao Pi repeated, bewildered.

"Yes," Da Ji confirmed. "You see, Mitsunari and I boast a considerable bit of strength. We would be great assets to you in the battle to save your Father."

"And tell me, why would you want to involve yourself in a battle of which you have no part?" Cao Pi asked skeptically.

"Stability," Da Ji answered simply. When Cao Pi was unconvinced, she continued, "Your father has managed to build the most powerful of the Three Kingdoms in this continent. If his death reaches the other two, then all-out war will break loose. Millions will die, and I feel it would be beneficial to keep that from happening. Don't you?" She said this last bit with a sweet tone of innocence as she looked at Cao Pi, whose eyes narrowed in suspicion. His glare then trained on Mitsunari Ishida, whose eyes narrowed upon contact with Cao Pi's.

"What are you looking at me for?" he asked. "You heard the lady. You're trying to find your father, and we wanna help. What reason do you have to refuse?"

Cao Pi considered Mitsunari's words for a moment before saying, "Fine, I accept your offer. Your assistance will be used in our forces, and depending on how well you perform, perhaps greatly appreciated. I will have a messenger escort you to your quarters while I include the two of you in our battle plans."

"Perfect," Da Ji said happily.

Mitsunari looked less than thrilled as Cao Pi turned his back on them and walked away. As Cao Pi returned to the building where the war council was held, he ordered a Captain to take his Scouts and lead the two to housing quarters.

Back in the war garrison, where all wartime measures were planned and carried out, Cao Pi sat at a table in a room adjacent to the council room. In this strategy room, he looked over documents and maps while Cao Zhang and Xu Huang watched him.

"So we're just going to blindly accept the help of strangers without knowing their true intentions?" Xu Huang asked.

"They may end up being of use to us in the coming battle," Cao Pi stated. "If they betray us, we need simply kill them, and no harm done."

"Please tell me we didn't leave them unguarded right in the middle of our Kingdom," Cao Zhang said.

"Who do you think I am, an imbecile?" Cao Pi said. "I have five First Class Officers and one Second Class Officer surreptitiously observing them for signs of threatening activity."

"Who is the SCO?" Cao Zhang asked.

"Zhang He," Cao Pi answered.

"Good," Xu Huang said with a nod. "They won't be doing anything we don't like with him around."

"Where are we going to fit them into our army?" Cao Zhang asked.

"They will be with me, so that I can keep an eye on them," Cao Pi answered.

"But you can't do it yourself!" Xu Huang said.

"I have no intentions to," Cao Pi informed him. "I've picked out two SCOs who are more than capable of watching my back should those two decide to stab it; Xu Huang, you're one of them."

Xu Huang grew a look of tremendous pride as he said, "I will fight for you until my dying breath."

"Who is the other one?" Cao Zhang asked.

Cao Pi then took on a grin, and he said, "Zhang Liao."

Xu Huang's and Cao Zhang's eyes widened, and Cao Zhang said, "You're not messing around."

"I would have figured you'd appoint Zhang Liao as a commander of our troops to lead into battle," Xu Huang said. "That's a lot of power for one squad."

"This squad will be the powerhouse behind Wei's attack force," Cao Pi stated. "Between the three of us, there is nothing we cannot combat."

Cao Zhang and Xu Huang both had confident expressions as they looked at Cao Pi, who continued to draw up battle plans.

Meanwhile, in a nearby housing quarters, Da Ji and Mitsunari Ishida were making themselves comfortable. Mitsunari sat in a chair in front of a wooden desk, watching Da Ji as she took her hair out of its ponytail.

"Do you even have the slightest idea what you're doing?" Mitsunari asked.

"Of course I do," Da Ji answered with a small smile without looking at him. "Lord Akuma told us to infiltrate their military and gain their trust to expose them."

"Yeah, that's what he said, but is that actually what you're going to do?" Mitsunari asked.

Da Ji's smile faded as she looked at him, but she didn't say anything.

"I don't know, it seems to me like you have a sore spot for Akuma," Mitsunari observed. "You're at the top of his forces; you do whatever he asks without question. But I can't help but notice that there seems to be some underlying resentment. What's with that?"

Da Ji chose not to answer this as she continued tending to herself, and after a moment, Mitsunari asked, "So do you know where Cao Pi's father is?"

Da Ji paused for a split second, but she then continued, once more refusing to answer.

Mitsunari watched her for a second, but he then swung his feet up on the desk and leaned back in the chair, looking up at the ceiling. "I guess we'll find out where your loyalties lie eventually."

Cao Pi and Xu Huang walked through a small residential sector of Shouma capital, and as many of the residents saw them, they immediately stopped what they were doing and stood in respect.

"What are we going to do after this?" Xu Huang asked.

"Deploy our forces," Cao Pi answered. "I have split our military into two primary sectors. The first one will remain here to defend Wei from attack. The second sector will be split and sent in all directions for clues. Of that portion of our troops, a third will be sent to the Kingdom of Shu, while a second third will be sent to Wu. Headed by our Second Class Officers, we will give each Kingdom one opportunity to tell us what they know about my Father. If they cannot tell us where he is, then we will demand their assistance in finding him. If they refuse, we will lay siege to their Kingdoms. We cannot afford mercy in our hunt. Any who stand in our way will be annihilated."

If Xu Huang had any reservations about Cao Pi's plan of attack, he kept them to himself. "Where is Cao Zhang?" he asked.

"He has teamed up with a fellow First Class Officer, a close friend of his, to go out and search for more clues. They will report back with their findings in four hours," Cao Pi answered.

As they came to the center of the residential zone, they overheard the orders of a man telling a group of workers to fortify walls around the area in case of attack. Cao Pi and Xu Huang walked up to him, and as the man had his back to them, he turned when he heard them coming.

"Lord Cao Pi," the man addressed with a smile.

"Zhang Liao," Cao Pi responded with a nod.

The man wore light-blue with gray trim, and he had red and gold armor on his chest and down his arms and legs. He had a spear on his back that sported an enormous blade that had several ridges crafted into the edge.

"I hear you sent our troops to Wu and Shu," Zhang Liao commented.

"That is correct," Cao Pi confirmed. "My hope is that they will aid us in our search for Lord Cao Cao. If they are not behind it, then they must know that whatever is could be a threat to them as well."

"You should have sent me with one of those armies," Zhang Liao said.

"I could have led them properly and seen them through should a battle break out."

"You need not worry about that," Cao Pi told him. "Zhang He is leading our troops to Shu, while Pang De marches us to Wu. Our military is in capable hands."

Zhang Liao nodded in confirmation, and he then said, "What of the newcomers?"

"I haven't quite gotten a read on them yet," Cao Pi answered. "I've ordered them to accompany us in our missions and battles against enemy forces. That will give me the opportunity to observe them in battle and hopefully figure out what they're really after."

"Do you believe their intentions to be hostile?" Zhang Liao asked.

"When the King of Wei magically disappears and we have no answers whatsoever, I believe everyone's intentions are hostile," Cao Pi stated. "However, in the unlikely event that they turn out to be genuine assets to us, that isn't something I would want to pass up. Therefore they join us, and we do whatever it takes to find my Father."

"So what will you have me do?" Zhang Liao asked.

"You will be in my personal combat unit," Cao Pi answered. "You and Xu Huang are both extraordinarily gifted Second Class Officers, well on your way to being Generals. Between the three of us, there will be little we cannot combat."

"Hello, gentlemen!"

The three of them looked around to find Da Ji and Mitsunari walking up to them, Da Ji with a pleasant smile, Mitsunari with a bitter scowl.

"Da Ji," Cao Pi addressed when she and Mitsunari came up to them. "Allow me to introduce Xu Huang and Zhang Liao, two of my finest Officers."

"M'lady," Zhang Liao addressed.

Xu Huang nodded. "And who are you?" he asked Mitsunari.

Da Ji introduced him, but Mitsunari made no sound or motion of endearment towards any of them.

"You're not a loose-lipped fellow, are you?" Zhang Liao said to him.

Mitsunari once again ignored him, looking off into the distance.

"It doesn't matter how talkative he is," Cao Pi interjected. "As long as he can fight, that's all we need out of him."

Da Ji looked pointedly at Cao Pi, but she didn't say anything as he looked back at her.

"The four of you prepare yourselves," Cao Pi told them. "I will be in the war garrison handing out orders. Be on standby until I call you all together; is that understood?" They all agreed, and Cao Pi turned his back on them and made for the war garrison.

The next four hours were spent meeting with Officers, handing out their orders and attack strategies, grouping all of the Captains and Scouts into individual battle units. Totals of five thousand troops were sent each to the neighboring Kingdoms of Wu and Shu, while another five thousand were scattered in all directions to search out intelligence on Cao Cao's whereabouts. That left fifteen thousand troops to defend Wei in the event of an attack. When Cao Pi finished distributing Wei's forces across the continent, Cao Zhang entered the war council room to meet his brother.

Cao Pi looked up upon his entry and said, "How did it go?"

"We couldn't find anything," Cao Zhang answered.

"Any sign of the Shimozuma Brothers?" Cao Pi asked.

"No. We went back to the scene of the battle and spread out from there, but there was no sign of anything or anyone. It's like Father disappeared off the face of the Earth."

"Well, I never expected it to be easy," Cao Pi said. He put his chin on top of his interlocked hands and pondered his options, and after a moment he said, "Very well. You and Yue Jin will join us in the main battle unit. You, Xu Huang, Zhang Liao, the newcomers and myself will be waiting to deploy to wherever there is a sign of our father or those who took him. With our forces combing the continent, it should not be long before we find something."

"Understood," Cao Zhang confirmed. He left the war council room while Cao Pi solidified his battle strategies.

The next day, Cao Pi stood on the roof of a building at the edge of Shouma. A concrete wall circled Wei's Capital, protecting it from outside attack, with wooden gates at the north, south, east, and west edges. Cao Zhang, Xu Huang, Zhang Liao, Da Ji, Mitsunari, and Yue Jin stood behind him.

Yue Jin was a man in his mid-twenties. Cao Zhang's best friend, he wore a black, short-sleeved shirt and pants with light armor plating. He had a longsword sheathed on his back, and his large, muscular arms were folded as he stood next to Cao Zhang.

"This is it," Cao Pi said to them all. "The battle to find our Lord begins now."

Cao Pi's name was then suddenly called out, and he looked down to find a Messenger running towards them, looking panicked. "The northern unit is under attack! They've requested immediate backup!"

Cao Pi braced himself as he looked over his shoulder at the rest of his unit, and without a word he jumped off the roof and landed on the ground. A herd of seven horses raced through the forest surrounding Shouma, and with Cao Pi at the head of the group, they made a straight line for the unit that had been patrolling the area north of the Kingdom. After a half-hour they arrived, and the seven of them all came to an abrupt halt at what they saw.

Bodies were thrown across the forest, which had been completely destroyed by battle. Fires burned all over the place, and blood spatter colored the environment. As the seven of them dismounted and walked forward, Zhang Liao asked, "How many men were in this unit?"

"Seventy-five," Cao Pi asked as he grabbed the Fang.

As they walked forward, a terrified scream reached their ears, followed by the sound of a powerful explosion. Cao Pi and his unit shot towards the source of the scream, weapons drawn, and in a moment they came to the scene of a massacre. What had remained of the unit lay in pieces across the ground, and the final living soldier was impaled on the blade of an enormous broadsword. The blade of the sword was six inches thick, and the hilt was black and gnarled in the enormous hands of its wielder. The massive creature was humanoid in shape, and had pale, gray skin that was webbed with veins across his muscular body. He wore black pants that were torn and only came down to his shins, while his enormous feet were left bare.

The creature turned to look at them, and he had no eyes; just a mouth that had saliva dripping out of it and fangs for teeth. The creature let out a powerful roar as it swung its sword, slicing the man to pieces as his blood and insides soaked the ground. The creature stomped forward as he raised his sword, and he aimed the tip directly at Cao Pi.


	4. Chapter 4: Fight My Soul

FIGHT MY SOUL

The creature aimed the tip of his sword at Cao Pi, who tightened the grip around the Fang as he prepared himself.

"What the hell is that thing?" Xu Huang asked in astonishment.

"It's a creature made of pure Soul Energy," Mitsunari answered. His tone was flat, but he had a small smirk on his face as he looked the beast up and down.

"So you're telling me someone conjured this behemoth?" Zhang Liao asked in awe.

"It doesn't matter where it came from," Cao Pi said to the group at large. "We need simply kill it, and move on to finding our Lord." A coat of ice extended across both blades of the Fang, and Cao Pi braced himself to charge.

The Soul Beast let out another immense roar, shaking the ground it stood on as it stomped towards Cao Pi.

" _Ice Shard Strike!_ "

Cao Pi swung his sword around, firing off a volley of ice shards at the beast, who made one gigantic swing of his sword and knocked them all away. The Soul Beast then swung his sword again, firing an arc of black energy at Cao Pi and the group at large.

" _Scatter!_ " Zhang Liao called out.

The seven of them leaped off in different directions, scattering across the surrounding trees as the Soul Beast kept a lock on Cao Pi. Cao Pi didn't take his eyes off the creature for a moment as he jumped across branches, and after a moment he braced himself at the top of a tree trunk and shot straight at the Soul Beast. The Soul Beast raised his sword and parried Cao Pi's strike, and Cao Pi landed on the ground and immediately dove to the side as the Soul Beast swung his sword down. The large blade crashed into the ground and gouged out a crater into the earth. As Cao Pi came behind the Soul Beast, the creature turned around, dragging his sword across the earth before swinging it up, firing a wave of black energy at Cao Pi. Cao Pi swung the Fang around, erecting a wall of ice in front of him and to his sides just before the energy hit, shattering the wall and leaving an icy mist in its place.

Cao Pi soared through the air over the Soul Beast, who was too slow to register what had happened, and Cao Pi dove straight down at the beast with the Fang ready to strike. Cao Pi landed on the ground right in front of the beast, slashing it across the chest and sending blood spattering across the earth. Cao Pi straightened up, swinging his secondary blade across the creature's gut, spattering more blood from the wound. Cao Pi then placed his palm on the creature's torso and conjured a field of ice to spread out across the creature's body. The creature used its powerful body to break out of the ice with ease, and he then swung his sword at Cao Pi from the side.

Cao Pi ducked the strike, and he then brought the Fang to his side before calling out, " _Glacial Domination!_ "

Cao Pi swung his sword around and conjured a field of ice spikes that sprung up out of the earth and attacked the Soul Beast. The Soul Beast was caught in Cao Pi's trap, stabbed by many of the spikes and immobilized by the rest. Blood ran down the ice and dripped on the ground at the beast's feet, and Cao Pi let the Fang rest at his side as he looked up at the Soul Beast.

"I don't know what kind of man decided conjuring you into existence would be a good idea," Cao Pi said, "but you have exhausted your welcome. It's time for you to go."

He raised the Fang, aiming the tip outward, and ice extended off the blade, extending its range and nearly doubling the length of the blade. Cao Pi could now slay the Soul Beast without getting within arm's reach, and he raised his sword at the creature's throat. As the Soul Beast looked at the blade, a powerful pulse of energy emanated from his sword, blowing away the ice as streams of black energy floated off the blade. Cao Pi readied himself as the creature swung his sword around, shattering all of the ice as energy built up into the sword blade. The Soul Beast brought his sword over his head before swinging down with all his power. The sword collided into the ground and let out a tremendous explosion that sent black energy seventy feet into the air, dwarfing the trees around it as the shockwave blasted through the forest.

The other members of Cao Pi's unit protected themselves from debris as the shockwave blew over them, and Cao Zhang called his brother's name in desperation. When the carnage died down, Cao Pi was sitting upright against a tree whose trunk had been torn almost completely in two, hanging on by mere threads of wood as the top half of the tree sat on the ground. Cao Pi had blood running down his face, as well as several wounds across his body, but he looked on without fear as the Soul Beast stomped towards him.

The Fang lay five feet off to Cao Pi's right, well out of his reach, and Cao Pi made no effort to retrieve it. The Soul Beast ignited a field of black energy around the blade of his sword as he approached Cao Pi, and when he came within seven feet, Xu Huang swung his battle ax at him from above. Blood spattered through the air as the beast staggered, and Xu Huang landed on the ground before putting the butt of his ax in the beast's knee joint, buckling his leg. Xu Huang then stepped around and swung his ax across the Soul Beast's chest, sending blood flying through the air as the enormous creature toppled to the ground.

"You will not harm my Lord any further!" Xu Huang declared as he stood in front of Cao Pi.

Cao Pi didn't say a word as he got to his feet, and he walked over and picked up the Fang off the ground.

"Where are the others?" Cao Pi asked.

"I expect they will be arriving shortly," Xu Huang answered.

"Cao Pi!" Cao Zhang and Zhang Liao came out of the trees towards them, and as Cao Pi and Xu Huang watched them, his eyes widened in horror.

A wolf-like creature with gray skin exactly the same as the other beast perched in a tree, obscured in shadows. Its arms and legs were just as muscular as the first Soul Beast, and its claws were three inches long while its mouth hung open, showing dozens of sharp fangs webbed in saliva.

"Zhang, look out!" Cao Pi called.

Cao Zhang's and Zhang Liao's eyes widened in shock, and the second Soul Beast shot at them both. The wolf swung its claws across Cao Zhang's chest, tearing right through his body armor and spattering blood through the air. The wolf landed on the ground and shot straight at Cao Pi and Xu Huang, who both braced themselves for its arrival. Cao Zhang crashed to the ground while Zhang Liao immediately saw to his injuries, and Xu Huang prepared to swing his ax at the wolf.

"Get out of the way, you idiot, he's too fast!" Cao Pi shouted.

Xu Huang brought his ax back and said, " _Earthen Catapult!_ "

He swung his ax across the ground, and the blade caught the earth and brought up an enormous chunk of ground that flew through the air, dropping on top of the wolf. The wolf shot to the side as the earth crashed to the ground, and as soon as it was clear of danger, the Soul Beast attacked the pair once more. Cao Pi swung the Fang across the ground and sent a field of ice at the wolf, but the wolf leaped into the air and landed on a tree that Cao Pi was standing next to. The wolf dug its claws into the bark to remain on the side of the trunk, and it growled menacingly at the two as it prepared to attack again.

"Move!" Xu Huang yelled as he raised his ax.

Cao Pi jumped back as Xu Huang swung his weapon around, cleaving the tree cleanly in two and sending it and the wolf plummeting to the ground. The wolf jumped off the tree and landed on the ground, and it braced itself as Cao Pi and Xu Huang kept their weapons ready.

Zhang Liao hoisted Cao Zhang onto his shoulders as the two watched the battle, and Cao Zhang said, "Don't worry about me, I'm fine. We need to help them."

A rustling nearby made them look around, and the first Soul Beast was slowly climbing to its feet, its gigantic sword clutched it its hands as it looked straight at Cao Zhang and Zhang Liao.

"Come," Zhang Liao said. "We can help them by keeping this one out of their fight."

As the two of them prepared for battle, Da Ji and Mitsunari stood in a tree overlooking the battlefield.

"Should we help them?" Mitsunari asked.

"We offered them our services," Da Ji said with a smile. "It might look a little suspicious if we just sat back with our tails between our legs."

Mitsunari looked at her as he pulled out his sword, the golden hilt and silver blade shining in the sunlight, and he looked down at the first Soul Beast. His eyes then widened and he said, "Wait, there's another one."

Zhang Liao wielded his spear as he stared down the first Soul Beast, and as he focused his Soul Energy, the blade became shrouded in sky-blue light. Cao Zhang swung the Islander around in his hands, and as he did so, water coming from the blade formed a ring in the air while Cao Zhang swung the weapon around, aiming the tip directly at the Soul Beast. The water ring shot at the creature, who swung his sword around and destroyed the water, leaving nothing left as the beast then fired an arc of black energy at them. Cao Zhang and Zhang Liao shot in opposite directions as the energy plowed through three trees, sending them all crashing to the ground.

Zhang Liao came down and skidded across the ground, and he braced himself before charging straight at the Soul Beast with his spear ready. Zhang Liao and the Soul Beast swung their weapons at each other, and upon contact the black and sky-blue energies erupted into an enormous force around them, fighting each other for domination. The two combatants pressed their weapons against each other, and the Soul Beast's immense strength steadily overpowered Zhang Liao. Cao Zhang came at the Soul Beast from the air, swinging his spear at his face, but the Soul Beast brought his sword around, ramming it into the Islander's shaft and sending Cao Zhang flying.

Cao Zhang smashed through a tree and went crashing into the forest, and before Zhang Liao could mount a counterattack, the Soul Beast swung his sword down at him. Zhang Liao dove to the side and rolled back to his feet as the Soul Beast's sword punched a hole in the ground, and the Soul Beast dragged his sword across the earth at Zhang Liao for a second attack. Zhang Liao put his spear in the path of the sword, but the beast's strength knocked him off his feet and sent him tumbling across the ground. The Soul Beast closed in for another attack, and as he swung his sword down at Zhang Liao, Zhang Liao brought his spear up, forming a diamond-shaped wall of sky-blue energy that intercepted the beast's attack.

The Soul Beast brought his sword back, ignited black energy around the blade, and he swung it into the shield once more, shattering it completely and knocking Zhang Liao back. Zhang Liao skidded backwards across the ground with his spear raised, and he spun in a circle and swung the spear at the Soul Beast, who swung his sword in return and intercepted the strike. The Soul Beast's strength easily broke Zhang Liao's guard, and as the beast built up energy into his sword blade, he swung the weapon and unleashed a powerful blast of energy. The energy crashed into Zhang Liao and drove him back, smashing him through a tree and sending him crashing through the forest. With no further opposition, the Soul Beast turned his attention to Cao Pi and Xu Huang.

The wolf rammed its claws into the Fang, and while Cao Pi held his ground, the wolf's strength was slowly beginning to drive him back inch by inch. Xu Huang came above the wolf and swung his ax at its side, cutting a gash into the wolf's flesh and shattering its guard as it roared in pain. With this opening, Cao Pi shoved the wolf's claws back and stepped in, swinging the Fang across the wolf's gut. The wolf tried to back off, but Xu Huang landed on the ground next to Cao Pi and the two both stepped in. They slashed at the wolf simultaneously, cutting a multitude of wounds into the Soul Beast's flesh as it attempted to put up a defense. Cao Pi finally brought it to its knees, and Xu Huang jumped up and swung his ax, beheading the Soul Beast completely and causing its large body to topple to the ground.

The two then immediately dove out of the way of an arc of black energy that flew by, and the first Soul Beast closed in on them with his sword ready to strike.

As Cao Pi stared down the beast, he took on a grin and said, "If once wasn't enough, then I suppose we'll have to put you down again."

Xu Huang brought his ax over his head, and as he swung it down, he called out, " _Crevasse Breaker!_ "

His ax crashed into the ground, splitting a gash into the earth that tore a line in the ground towards the Soul Beast. The Soul Beast came to the side of the crevasse as it came by him, but the crack in the earth spread outward, causing the Soul Beast to lose its footing and topple to the ground. Cao Pi shot forward and jumped into the air, and he brought the tip of the Fang down and impaled the Soul Beast directly in the face, causing his body to go motionless as its sword fell out of his hand. Cao Pi wrenched his sword out of the Soul Beast's corpse, blood staining the blade, and as he looked down at the beast in triumph, Xu Huang came up to him from behind.

"Where are Da Ji and Ishida?" Cao Pi asked.

A crash made them both look around, and Da Ji stood in a tree while Mitsunari backed away on the ground, his sword aimed at the forest. A horse trotted out of the trees to face Mitsunari, and mounted on the animal was a man wearing dark-blue armor, with a black ponytail going down to his shoulders. He wielded a sword that had a dark-green hilt, and there was an emerald embedded in the blade near the guard.

Cao Pi and Xu Huang came over to face the newcomer, and Xu Huang asked, "Who is he?"

"He's the one leading the two Soul Beasts," Mitsunari asked.

"I am Danemon Ban," the man announced. "I am in charge of this ambush unit, and I was tasked with eradicating Wei's forces in this area."

"Tell me, Danemon Ban," Cao Pi said, "do you know anything about the disappearance of Lord Cao Cao?"

"I shall not answer," Danemon stated.

"Very well," Cao Pi said unsurprised.

"Then are you affiliated with Rairyu and Rairen Shimozuma?"

Danemon remained silent, but he dismounted his horse and wielded his sword. Purple electricity sparked across the blade, and he aimed the tip at Cao Pi.

"I have been given specific orders to not allow you to leave alive," Danemon Ban stated.

"I am not surprised," Cao Pi said coolly.

He walked forward towards Danemon, shrouding both of the Fang's blades in ice, and as Xu Huang and Mitsunari prepared themselves for battle, Cao Pi said, "I'm afraid it will not be as easy as you might think. You are about to be killed by the Kingdom of Wei."


	5. Chapter 5: Fight My Soul 2 (Unsettled

FIGHT MY SOUL 2 (UNSETTLED WRATH)

"Danemon Ban," Zhang Liao said. "I can't say I've ever heard the name.

Cao Pi remained silent as he looked at the purple electricity sparking across the man's sword blade.

Danemon stared down each of the six of them in turn, waiting for any of them to make a move. "Then take heed," Danemon said to Zhang Liao. "For it is the last thing you will _ever_ know."

"Tell me," Cao Pi said, "do you really think you can eliminate the seven of us by yourself?"

Danemon's eyes widened and he said aghast, "Seven?"

Yue Jin landed directly behind him with his hand on the hilt of his sheathed sword, and as he pulled the sword around, the blade began to shine with yellow light.

" _Sunbeam Slasher!_ "

Danemon swung his own sword around, and the two collided into each other, letting off a powerful burst of yellow and purple light, causing the other members of Cao Pi's troop to brace themselves.

"Get ready!" Cao Pi ordered. "We need to take him out as quickly as possible! And be careful for any more Soul Beasts!"

"I will strike next!" Xu Huang stated. He leaped at Danemon with his battle ax raised, and as he closed in he prepared to swing the blade at Danemon's head.

Danemon and Yue Jin pressed their sword blades against each other, and each sword surrounded by the powers of their owners' Soul Energy. Danemon's eyes slid to the left to see Xu Huang coming, and he leaped away just as Xu Huang landed next to Yue Jin. The two followed Danemon with their eyes as he sailed through the air, and he landed on a tree branch and crouched down with his sword raised. He aimed the sword down at them, and a ball of purple electricity appeared at the tip. Yue Jin and Xu Huang braced themselves, and Danemon said, " _Phantom Arclight!_ "

He swung his sword and fired the electricity ball down at them. As the Phantom Arclight landed between Yue Jin and Xu Huang, it exploded violently and sent the two Warlords flying in opposite directions. "Zhang Liao, follow through," Cao Pi said as he braced himself.

Zhang Liao raised his spear while Cao Pi shot in, and he held his ice-encased sword in front of him. He then leaped into the air and flew right at Danemon, who aimed his sword directly up into the sky. Purple electricity sparked across the blade, and Danemon said, " _Phantom Annihilation!_ " He swung his blade down and unleashed a massive burst of purple electricity at Cao Pi, whose eyes widened as it came at him. He held the Fang out in front of him and caused the ice to spread out from the blades, forming a sphere around him that intercepted the attack.

Danemon's ability smashed the ice sphere to pieces, sending Cao Pi flying down and crashing into the ground. As the rest of Cao Pi's troop prepared to attack, Danemon held his sword out, and a fine layer of electricity shrouded the blade, extending six inches past the tip.

" _Phantom Reaper!_ "

Mitsunari pulled out his own sword and prepared to attack, and Da Ji looked at him with an amused expression. Mitsunari's eyes narrowed as he noticed Da Ji's face, but he refused to look at her as he charged in. Danemon saw him coming and jumped out of the tree, landing on the ground and bracing himself for Mitsunari's arrival. As Mitsunari held his sword to one side with both hands, the entire weapon became surrounded in a yellow-orange light. Danemon prepared to swing his sword, and as Mitsunari closed the gap between them, he called out, " _Hyper Destroyer!_ "

The two Warlords swung their swords into each other, and an enormous explosion blasted a crater a hundred feet wide into the ground, sending dozens of trees flying while dust blanketed the battlefield. Cao Pi landed on one of the few standing trees in the area and looked towards the epicenter of the blast, the Fang gripped tightly in his hand.

"Lord Cao Pi!"

Xu Huang and Zhang Liao landed in trees around him, and Cao Pi didn't respond as he searched for signs of Danemon.

"Find my brother and Yue Jin," Cao Pi ordered.

"What of Da Ji and Mitsunari?" Zhang Liao asked.

"They aren't a priority right now," Cao Pi stated. "If they cannot take care of themselves, then they are of no use to us."

Zhang Liao and Xu Huang confirmed, and they both leaped off towards the site of the explosion. Da Ji stood in a tree behind him, looking at Cao Pi with an amused yet curious expression.

"You knew I was here from the start. Why didn't you tell them?" she asked.

"What would it have mattered?" Cao Pi answered without looking at her.

At the center of the crater in the forest, Mitsunari and Danemon clashed swords, each evenly matched in their strikes and parries. As they exchanged slashes, Danemon said, "You don't really seem to be fighting for real."

"I'm not," Mitsunari confirmed. "It doesn't help our cause if we kill people who are on our side."

The two shared one final clash before jumping back, and they put fifteen feet of distance between them, both with their swords raised. "And whose side are you on?" Danemon asked.

Mitsunari declined to answer as he prepared to attack again, when something catching his attention caused him to look around. Zhang Liao and Xu Huang landed nearby, glaring at Danemon with their weapons raised. Cao Zhang and Yue Jin quickly joined them, surrounding Danemon as he raised his sword defensively.

"Still think you can win?"

Danemon looked around to see Cao Pi standing behind him, and he had the Fang gripped at his side. Da Ji stood behind him with her arms folded, looking at Danemon with a grin. As Danemon looked around at them all, his eyes narrowed, taking in particular consideration Mitsunari's stance against him, but Mitsunari remained silent.

"If you intend to kill me, then I suggest you do it," Danemon stated.

"I don't take glee in exterminating vermin that is vastly outnumbered," Cao Pi stated. "We will instead take you prisoner and drain you dry of information on who you fight for. I imagine it is the same entity who took my father."

Danemon's eyes narrowed as a glint of fear shone in them, and a bead of sweat rolled down his face as the grip on his sword tightened. "I will fight to my dying breath," he declared. "You will never take me alive."

"They won't take you at all, my friend."

Everyone looked around, and Danemon looked on in shock as Rairen and Rairyu Shimozuma stood nearby, looking at Cao Pi and his troop with grins.

"What the hell are you two doing here?" Danemon asked appalled. "Huang Gai told us to not let them know we were working together."

"Huang Gai?" Cao Pi said bewildered.

"Idiot," Rairen said exasperatedly.

"Huang Gai was once a Second Class Officer of Wu," Xu Huang said in shock. "He defected and formed his own clan. Why on earth would he be after Lord Cao Cao?"

"Hey, no one ever said Huang Gai was the one who took Cao Cao," Rairyu said.

"Stop lying," Cao Pi said with a deadly tone. "Huang Gai defected from Wu, and is therefore an enemy of their people. He abducted our Lord, and is therefore an enemy of Wei. I have no doubt that Wu will be happy to aid us in my father's rescue, as well as the persecution of his kidnappers. Thank you. You've made our job so much easier. And now, the Kingdom of Wei will kill you all."

"Sorry, not today," Rairyu corrected him. "But don't worry, we've got plenty to keep you busy."

The trees behind them began rustling, and out shot a monstrous beast that soared through the air with enormous wings, beating the air down on Cao Pi's troop as it blocked out the sun overhead.

"What the hell is that thing!?" Cao Pi said as he looked up.

The beast landed on the ground, and Cao Pi and his soldiers looked upon a dragon that was fifteen feet tall and had a wingspan of forty. The wings were black, but the dragon's skin was the same dull gray color as the Soul Beasts. It had black armor plating on the top of its head, as well as its shoulders and thighs. While the Cao Pi troop was distracted by this new terror, Danemon Ban took the opportunity to leap away, coming over to Rairen and Rairyu. Cao Pi noticed and looked around, and as he saw the three of them he braced to charge. " _Oh, no you don't!_ "

An earth-shaking roar caused Cao Pi to look back at the dragon, who stalked forward on its enormous fours, glaring straight at Cao Pi with shiny, red eyes. Rairyu, Rairen, and Danemon took the opportunity to make their leave. Cao Pi held the Fang out in front of him, ready for the beast to come, but Cao Zhang and Yue Jin stood between them.

"Zhang, what are you doing?" Cao Pi demanded.

"You, Xu Huang, and Zhang Liao go after them. We'll stay here and keep you from being followed," Cao Zhang stated. He held out his spear while Yue Jin had his sword at his side.

"And what exactly will you two be doing?" Cao Pi asked as he looked pointedly at Da Ji and Mitsunari.

"I have a feeling keeping this thing at bay is going to be tough, especially for the two of them. We'll stay here and help while you go," Mitsunari answered.

Cao Pi nodded, and he, Xu Huang, and Zhang Liao shot off after Danemon and the Shimozuma Brothers.

Danemon, Rairen, and Rairyu moved quickly through the forest, wasting no time in putting as much distance as possible between them and Cao Pi.

"Where's Huang Gai?" Danemon asked.

"First off, learn to keep your mouth shut about who we're working for," Rairyu told him, "second off, he's waiting for us back at our field rendezvous. We'll be there in about twenty minutes."

Cao Pi and his men pursued them, and Cao Pi looked onward with death in his eyes as he held the Fang tightly in his hand. Back at the forest clearing, the dragon stomped with both its fore limbs and let out an almighty roar, blowing the air past Cao Zhang and the rest of the troop.

"Yue Jin, open fire!" Cao Zhang commanded.

Yue Jin wasted no time in holding his sword out, and he built up yellow energy into the blade.

" _Solar Flare Strike!_ "

Yue Jin swung his sword around and unleashed a powerful wave of energy, and while the dragon tried to evade it, the wave hit it in the side and unleashed a blinding burst of light that illuminated the forest for five hundred feet around. The members of Cao Pi's troop shielded their eyes while making sure to watch for counterattacks, and when the light died down nearly a minute later, the dragon was unharmed and very angry. The beast spread its wings and took flight, hovering thirty feet in the air and leering down at Cao Pi's troops. The dragon opened its mouth and let out a gush of pitch-black fire, which shot in a concentrated beam down at Cao Zhang and company, who all dove in different directions to avoid the blaze.

As Da Ji and Mitsunari attempted to recover from the attack, Da Ji said desperately, "Mitsunari, get in there and take that thing out!"

"Why don't you get your hands dirty for once?" Mitsunari suggested agitatedly as he got back to his feet.

Mitsunari placed both hands on the hilt of his sword and focused, and the blade became surrounded in yellow-orange energy, which took the shape of a cleaver that was seven feet long and eighteen inches wide. Mitsunari wielded the massive weapon with ease, and he prepared to close in on the dragon. The dragon saw Mitsunari with his weapon and backed off, flying high into the air and out of Mitsunari's range. Mitsunari then flashed a grin and said, "Nice try."

He swung his sword around and called out, " _Hyper Destroyer!_ " The blade unleashed an enormous arc of energy that collided into the dragon, blasting smoke and flames around it and causing the beast to plummet to the ground. Cao Zhang and Yue Jin looked on in awe, but Mitsunari paid them no mind as he held his weapon over his shoulder, looking in triumph at the dust cloud where the dragon had crashed. The dust cleared, and the dragon was swinging its wings, trying to get airborne once more, and Mitsunari sighed mockingly and said, "I guess if you don't want to stay down, I'll just obliterate you."

With the energy still present around his sword, he grabbed it with both hands and swung it down with all his strength. The blade crashed into the ground and let out a force of energy that traveled in a straight line across the earth, tearing a crevasse into the ground as it came at the dragon. The dragon rose in the air just enough to allow the attack to fly underneath, and Mitsunari subsequently brought his sword back, waiting for the perfect moment. As the wave of energy came under the dragon, Mitsunari swung his blade around, and the energy under the beast erupted into half a dozen tendrils that shot through the air and attacked the dragon simultaneously. The beast roared in pain as it dropped to the ground, and Mitsunari brought his sword back one more time.

He swung the blade across the earth, sending a massive force of energy that rose off the ground in a wave ten feet tall. The energy wave approached the dragon, who was in too much pain to do anything other than watch it come. The energy wave crashed into the dragon, and then exploded into an enormous arc that cleaved the dragon cleanly in two before bursting into the sky. Cao Zhang and Yue Jin were utterly appalled at this show of force, and as the energy around Mitsunari's blade vanished, he turned around and walked past them without acknowledgement.

A small hut sat in a clearing in the forest at the edge of a mountain range, with a plume of smoke floating out of the chimney. Cao Pi, Xu Huang, and Zhang Liao stood in trees nearby, hidden in shadow as they watched the hut.

"This is where the three of them retreated to," Zhang Liao stated. "This could be a predetermined meeting point to rendezvous with their master," Xu Huang suggested.

"I don't care what it is," Cao Pi told them. "They know where my father is, and the armies of hell aren't going to keep me from finding out everything."

Cao Pi raised the Fang and coated the blades and ice, and as he looked at the hut with a hungry expression, he said, "Father…I'm coming."


	6. Chapter 6: Spark

SPARK

"We need to be careful," Zhang Liao said. "We have no idea what could be in there. They knew we would be following them. They could have set all kinds of traps for us."

"Then we need simply go through them," Cao Pi said as he braced himself. "Zhang Liao, give them a greeting worthy of Wei."

Zhang Liao held his spear out and charged up sky-blue energy into the blade.

"Xu Huang, get ready to follow through. I don't want them to be able to react before we cut them down."

Xu Huang raised his ax, and as Cao Pi readied himself, Zhang Liao swung his spear and fired an arc of energy directly at the hut. The energy collided into the building and tore it completely in two, sending rubble flying in all directions while smoke and flames rose into the air from the destruction. As Cao Pi watched for signs of movement, his eyes widened in shock. Xu Huang noticed as well, and he spun around and swung his ax. Rairen blocked the attack with his sword, and Rairyu swung his sword and fired off a burst of electricity that hit Xu Huang directly, knocking him out of his tree and sending him crashing into the ground.

Cao Pi swung the Fang around and sent several ice spikes from the tree branches at their attackers, but the Shimozuma Brothers jumped back, avoiding the attack before preparing to strike again.

" _Phantom Arclight!_ "

A ball of purple electricity flew up from below, and Cao Pi saw it coming before tackling Zhang Liao out of the way, causing the attack to hit a tree and explode. Violent tendrils of electricity sparked across the trees around the impact, and Cao Pi and Zhang Liao landed on nearby branches with their weapons raised. Danemon Ban appeared on the tree branch directly in front of Cao Pi, who was caught off guard and unable to react when Danemon swung his energy-enhanced sword into him. The sword caused an explosion that blasted Cao Pi down to the ground, while Zhang Liao shouted his name. His attention was then grabbed, and he swung his spear to defend simultaneous attacks from both of the Shimozuma Brothers.

Rairen and Rairyu pressed their swords against the shaft of Zhang Liao's spear, and a bead of sweat rolled down Zhang Liao's face as he struggled to keep them at bay. A pounding force caused all three of them to look around, and Xu Huang stood on the ground, wielding his ax as a coat of transparent energy distorted the features of the blade. The Shimozuma Brothers kept their eyes on Xu Huang while maintaining a stance against Zhang Liao, who looked on in shock at Xu Huang. Xu Huang braced himself, and as the energy around his blade came to a peak, he shouted, " _Terraformed Slash!_ "

Xu Huang swung his ax around, unleashing a tremendous arc shockwave that tore through the forest, blasting up trees and sending dust and rubble flying through the air. As the carnage died down, the Shimozuma Brothers hid in nearby trees, peering around for signs of Cao Pi and his troops. Xu Huang stood at the root of the destruction, his ax clutched in both hands, and Cao Pi and Zhang Liao both landed nearby, looking in the direction that their enemies were last seen in.

"I get the impression they aren't fighting with all their strength," Zhang Liao noted.

"You're right," Cao Pi agreed. "I believe they are stalling for reinforcements."

"And what of our reinforcements?" Xu Huang asked.

"The four of them should have been more than enough for that one Soul Beast. I have no doubt they will be here shortly," Cao Pi told him.

A soft chuckle made Cao Pi's eyes widen, and the three of them turned around to see a man standing there looking at him. He was six feet tall with bulging arms and legs, and aside from some light armor plating he was bare-chested. He had white pants, and brown hair that was short-trimmed. The man looked at them with a hungry grin, and he had a metal club with small spikes running along it.

"I expected my men to be enough to stall you," the man said, "but clearly I think too highly of them."

Cao Pi raised the Fang defensively, looking at the man with gritted teeth. "Huang Gai," he addressed.

"What are you doing here!?" Xu Huang said as he raised his ax.

"Relax, I just came by to see what my men and I were dealing with," he answered with a calm grin and demeanor. "The heir to the Kingdom of Wei and two of the finest Second Class Officers that your Kingdom has to offer. I must say I'm impressed. Clearly you take the abduction of your Lord quite seriously."

"So it _was_ you that took my father then?" Cao Pi said as he prepared to attack.

"Calm down, I had nothing to do with it," Huang Gai assured him.

"Then are you in support of those who did?" Zhang Liao demanded.

Huang Gai's grin widened, but he remained silent.

Rairen, Rairyu, and Danemon all landed behind him, looking at Cao Pi and his troops with cheeky grins.

"Please, come at us if you feel you can win," Huang Gai offered as he raised his club coaxingly.

"A battle with the four of them will only exhaust us for what's to come," Zhang Liao said. "We need to retreat for now."

Cao Pi then took on a grin and said, "We need do no such thing."

Out of the trees behind Cao Pi came Cao Zhang, Yue Jin, Mitsunari, and Da Ji. They all landed around Cao Pi with their weapons drawn, ready to engage Huang Gai and his men.

Huang Gai looked around at the seven of them with a much less amused grin, and he said, "I can't say I was expecting this. I daresay seven on four may not be in our best interests."

"I agree," Cao Pi said with a triumphant grin as he stepped forward. "Now then, what were you saying about us coming at you?"

Huang Gai's grin returned somewhat as he looked at Cao Pi, and he said, "Some other time, perhaps."

"Yes, you retreat for now," Cao Pi said in a menacing tone. "Know that the Kingdom of Wei is coming for you, and we will destroy you."

Cao Pi and his troops stared them down while Huang Gai raised his club, and a red, fiery light shone from the tip.

" _Inferno Bruiser!_ "

Huang Gai swung his club straight down at the ground, firing a ball of light from the tip that exploded violently, sending smoke and flames twenty feet out that completely concealed the four of them. When the smoke died down, Cao Pi looked into the remaining fire to see that Huang Gai, Rairen, Rairyu, and Danemon were all gone.

"Return to the Kingdom," Cao Pi ordered. "By now other Officers will have come with news. We will rendezvous with them and come up with a battle strategy based on what they have to report."

All of his troops confirmed, and the group returned to Shouma.

Two days later in the war garrison, Cao Pi stood at the head of a meeting between him and thirty other people. Xu Huang and Zhang Liao stood behind him, while Da Ji and Mitsunari were off in a corner. Cao Zhang and Yue Jin headed the audience, waiting intently for Cao Pi's plan.

"We have conducted a mass intelligence gathering operation and have confirmed the following," Cao Pi began. The entire room remained silent in anticipation for Cao Pi to continue. "We do not know for sure what or who is behind the disappearance of Lord Cao Cao. But based on what we have seen, it is probable that the perpetrator is the infamous warrior Akuma."

Several gasps and awestruck faces passed around the crowd, but Cao Pi did not wait for the shock to settle before continuing. "I have heard the stories about him just as you have, and let me assure you of one thing: No matter how mighty Akuma is, Wei is stronger. And if he is indeed the man behind my father's abduction, then we will not relent until he is obliterated. This Kingdom has faced seemingly impossible odds before, and we won't hesitate to do it again. I've coordinated with other Officers, and combining that with my own experiences over the last several days, I've gotten quite a significant grasp on what is at play. The defected Wu warrior Huang Gai is rallying troops for a purpose we do not know. We believe he has allied himself with Akuma and means to stand against us. Be wary, for if you should face him in combat, he will not hold back, and he will not spare lives. Only Second Class Officers, if not Generals should have anything to do with him. He has a collection of powerful warriors at aid as well, whom also should not be taken lightly.

"On another note, we have sent messengers to the Kingdoms of Shu and Wu as well. Both are in utter chaos. Akuma's forces have run rampant across the entirety of territories belonging to Lords Liu Bei and Sun Jian. We have no idea how many are under his command, but a force of over ten thousand troops obliterated Wu's cavalry forces. And we believe that is merely the beginning. Neither will be able to aid us in the rescue of our Lord. Shu has shut its gates, closing off all contact with the outside in order to prevent oncoming attack. Wu is still picking up the pieces of their cavalry whilst preparing for a much larger attack. If need be, I am prepared to send a military force to aid them. I am not particularly fond of the Sun family, but they are our allies, and their destruction means our imminent annihilation as well.

"We were not aware of Huang Gai's involvement the first time we spoke, but I have already sent a secondary messenger to relay this news. Surely he has harbored bad blood with them and intends to pursue payback. We need to find him and eliminate him as quickly as possible. The sooner we do that, the closer we are to finding my Father. On a side note, I also want you all to know that we have recently been joined by a third party. Da Ji and Mitsunari Ishida have decided to assist us in the search for our Lord."

Cao Pi gave a pointed look at the two as they remained in their corner, and multiple pairs of analytical eyes turned onto them as well. Both of them remained silent as they continued to watch Cao Pi.

"I don't know why they are choosing to help us, but they have proven themselves perfectly capable in combat. If they truly are here to help, then they will be excellent assets to us in the coming battles. As my final word, warriors of Wei, take heed. The forces that threaten this Kingdom are potentially unlike anything we've ever faced before. The only way that we can come out of this victorious is by banding together. We are all brothers in arms, and under the banner of Wei we will annihilate anything that stands in our way."

The audience cheered at Cao Pi's closing words, and the acting ruler of Wei stood proudly as he looked around at his people.

As Da Ji and Mitsunari continued to watch, Da Ji looked at Cao Pi directly with a small smile.

"He doesn't have any idea what's coming to him," Mitsunari commented with a straight face.

"No," Da Ji agreed. "He doesn't."

Meanwhile, in a torch-lit cavern, four people sat around a fire that cast a glow across the cave walls. Huang Gai sat right next to the fire, and he was surrounded by Danemon Ban as well as the Shimozuma Brothers.

"Today went pretty damned well," Rairyu said with a satisfied grin.

"Yeah, aside from the fact that you dumbasses told them that I was in charge of this unit," Huang Gai said passively.

"They were going to find out eventually," Rairen told him.

"They were, but the longer we can keep them in the dark, the more flawlessly Akuma's plan will…huh?"

Something caught Huang Gai's attention, and he turned around to see three newcomers having entered the cave. The one on the right wore green armor plating over black shirt and pants, while the one on the right had similar armor that was yellow in color. The one in the middle wore a long, white robe that was adorned in yellow ornamentation. He had long, brown hair that fell down to his back which had two braids in it, and he wore a gold headpiece. A full beard fell down to his chest, just barely revealing lips curved in a small smile.

"So, Jiao, he sent you, did he?" Huang Gai asked with an amused grin.

"Yes, and that's _Lord_ Akuma to you, cretin," Jiao corrected.

The man known as Zhang Jiao looked down at Huang Gai and his men with a condescending look on his face.

"And who are the two rats you brought with you?" Huang Gai asked as he eyed Zhang Jiao's men.

Both men's faces contorted to angry grimaces, but before they could say anything, Zhang Jiao said, "These are two very fine warriors. The Chosokabe Brothers, Nobuchika and Morichika."

Huang Gai eyed the two up and down, and he then scoffed and said, "I've heard of them. They're nothing special."

Rairyu snickered as he looked at them and said, "Man, Big Boss is really scraping the bottom of the barrel for help, isn't he?"

The green-armored man, Nobuchika growled in anger just before the yellow-armored man, Morichika said, "You wanna shut your damn mouth?"

"No, not really," Rairyu said as he placed his hand on his sword hilt.

"You wanna try and make us?" Rairen said as he grabbed his spear shaft.

"Now, now, children," Zhang Jiao said calmly. "There is no need for fighting each other. We are all children of God. It is the infidels and blasphemers that need punishing. Save your strength. The Three Kingdoms are sure to break into war before long, and we can give Cao Pi and his people the divine punishment they deserve."

At Zhang Jiao's words, the Chosokabe Brothers immediately stood down and became silent.

"Enough, you two," Huang Gai said to the Shimozuma Brothers.

Rairen relaxed, and Rairyu chuckled before saying, "I never got a chance to kill anybody when we fought Cao Pi and his men today."

"Worry not, child," Zhang Jiao said pleasantly. "You will have your bloodlust satiated soon. War is coming, and we of Lord Akuma's forces will reign victorious."

"Well war needs to hurry up," Rairyu said with a leer. "I joined Akuma because he promised us a shot at Wei. Cao Cao killed our dad in the Great War. Akuma wouldn't let us kill Cao Cao himself, so he gave us open access to the next best thing: his prodigy."

Rairen remained silent, polishing the blade of his spear, and he kept a firm eye on his brother as the latter spoke.

"I remember everything my Old Man ever taught me about fighting," Rairyu said wistfully. "He's the reason I fight. He taught me about honor and valor; how the most important thing you can do in your life is fight for what's important to you. No one in the world believed in me more than he did." All eyes were on Shimozuma, and his teeth gritted as he said, "And then that bastard took him. Away from this life like it was nothing. Left me and Rairen to wait, hoping, praying, every single day that he'd walk through the front door and everything'd be okay again. And he never did. Everything that he stood for in our lives crumbled and we were left to pick up the pieces. Cao Cao may be a great leader to his people, but to me he's a repulsive son of a bitch, and I won't rest until he and all of his family are dead."

The group remained in grim silence in the wake of Rairyu's speech, no one brave enough to speak. Rairen continued polishing his spear, and Huang Gai spat onto the ground as he looked at his feet. Zhang Jiao and the Chosokabe Brothers stood awkwardly to the side, but as Zhang Jiao looked at the Chosokabe Brothers pointedly, the three of them sat down around the fire.

"I'm sorry," Zhang Jiao finally said.

Rairyu looked at him with a ghostly grin, but he didn't say anything.

"Your father's death will not go unpunished," Jiao stated. "I promise you that all of the Cao family will perish for their sins."

Huang Gai took on a small grin, but he looked into the fire as Zhang Jiao continued.

"The Three Kingdoms will fall, and war will usher in a new era of peace ruled by Lord Akuma. And Cao Pi will fall to his knees at our power."


	7. Chapter 7: Embers

EMBERS

The next day, the fire was extinguished, and Huang Gai and Zhang Jiao, as well as their men, stood at the entrance to the cave looking out at the sunrise. Huang Gai exhaled as he stretched his back, and he said, "What a great day to go to war."

He then walked out of the cave as Zhang Jiao watched him with a pleasant grin, and Danemon walked out after him, followed by Nobuchika and Morichika. Zhang Jiao walked out after them, while Rairyu and Rairen hung back out of earshot.

"You've never opened up about Dad before," Rairen said as he looked at Rairyu.

"And you still haven't," Rairyu said to him. Rairen remained silent as he continued looking at his brother. "Then again, you've never been a talker. If you started opening up about your feelings I might think you were having a stroke."

The two followed the group as they proceeded into a vast forest.

Back in Shouma, Cao Pi sat in the war garrison, looking over troop deployments as well as messages brought in from Shu and Wu. After a moment, a knock on the door made him look up, and he told the visitor to enter. The door opened, and Xu Huang walked in.

"Where are Zhang and Yue Jin?" Xu Huang asked.

"They are running reconnaissance near Shu," Cao Pi answered. "Have you discovered anything useful?" he asked Xu Huang.

Xu Huang shook his head and said, "There isn't a piece of relevant intel anywhere to be found. We can't even find Lord Cao Cao's bodyguards."

Cao Pi pondered this silently for a moment before saying, "Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, and Xu Zhu. To capture Father by himself is one thing. To take him as well as three of the most powerful warriors in our Kingdom is another matter altogether. Akuma, or any man who can accomplish such a feat may be stronger than anything we can imagine."

Xu Huang had a small smile on his face when he said, "Somehow I think that makes you happy, Lord Cao Pi."

Cao Pi couldn't repress his grin as he looked down at his desk, chin resting on his interlocked fingers, and he said, "It does make things interesting to know we are up against such a remarkable adversary. This may well be the battle of the century."

The troop led by Huang Gai and Zhang Jiao moved through a dense forest, the seven of them traveling as a single unit.

"So at the risk of asking a stupid question," Rairyu said, "where are we going again?"

"To attack the Wei capital of Shouma," Huang Gai answered with a hungry grin.

"Oh, okay. Why?" Rairyu asked.

"I have to admit, that does sound like a suicide mission," Danemon agreed.

"We will not be attacking Shouma. We are not lambs to the slaughter," Zhang Jiao interjected.

Huang Gai's grin faded as he looked at Zhang Jiao, who explained, "We are going to attack one of Wei's many intelligence units spread throughout the continent. An assault on one of these teams will surely bring Wei's strongest officers running. We weed out the garbage little by little until we can finally bring down justice upon those who threaten Lord Akuma's vision."

"Do you have in mind a place to start?" Danemon asked.

"Of course I do," Zhang Jiao answered.

Cao Zhang and Yue Jin headed a battalion of fifty people searching the forests around the Kingdom of Shu for information. The two watched as their men looked for evidence, anything that may lead to an answer.

"So be honest, what do you think the chances of finding our Lord are?" Yue Jin asked Cao Zhang quietly.

Cao Zhang remained silent for a moment before saying, "He's my Father so I try to stay positive. But it's been almost two weeks since he went missing and we still don't have a single clue of where he is or who even took him. Although the fact that we haven't found a corpse yet means they took him for a reason, and not just to execute him. They want something from us, and they're playing us right into their hands until they get what they need."

"And what do you think we should do about that?" Yue Jin asked.

"Keep playing," Zhang answered. "Eventually this road will lead to my Father. And with Huang Gai and his men almost definitely being involved, once we encounter them again we just need to chase them back to their snake hole. No matter what we'll find where he is eventually, it just needs to be before they can kill him."

Yue Jin watched their men, remaining silent for a moment before saying, "Yeah."

His eyes then narrowed, and he looked off to his left in the trees. Cao Zhang noticed this, and he placed his hand on the Islander as he looked in the same direction as Yue Jin. Footsteps rustled the leaves in the shadows, and the two Warlords braced themselves for what was coming. A foot stepped out, and Cao Zhang and Yue Jin both pulled out their weapons and held them ready.

"Who's there?!" Yue Jin yelled out.

"Show yourself immediately!" Cao Zhang demanded.

Both their eyes widened as Danemon stood behind them, and he swung his sword into Cao Zhang. Blood spattered through the air, and Cao Zhang stumbled forward as he yelled in pain, blood spilling from a deep gash in his back. Yue Jin swung his sword around, and Danemon parried his slash without effort, and as Yue Jin prepared to attack him again, his eyes widened when Rairen came down on top of him.

" _Oceanic Surge!_ "

A powerful surge of water came at Rairen, intercepting him and washing him away from Yue Jin. Yue Jin jumped away from Danemon, who surrounded the blade of his sword in dark-purple energy. Yue Jin landed on the ground and surrounded the blade of his own sword in bright yellow energy, and the two swung their weapons through the air.

" _Phantom Arclight!_ "

" _Solar Flare Strike!_ "

Danemon fired a ball of energy while Yue Jin fired a wave, and the two attacks collided into each other and generated a powerful explosion that sent blinding light flashing through the forest. Zhang Jiao, who had first approached Cao Zhang and Yue Jin in the beginning as a distraction, looked on with a small grin as he watched the forest get blasted apart. As he watched a large cloud of smoke billow into the air, he said, "If the two of you continue to stand there, you'll be outshone by Huang Gai's men. I know you don't want that."

The Chosokabe Brothers stood behind him, watching the battle as well, but at Zhang Jiao's words they promptly disappeared. Zhang Jiao's smile widened as he continued to watch the battle unfold. Yue Jin hid in a tree, peering around it cautiously as he looked for signs of the enemy. Cao Zhang was in a nearby tree taking up similar tactics, and they both held their weapons ready.

"This is bad," Cao Zhang said through panting breath.

"Yeah, and it's just getting started," Yue Jin said to him. "There are at least three more of them. Maybe more."

"Crap," Cao Zhang said as his teeth gritted. "We need to call for backup."

"Yeah," Yue Jin agreed.

"Master Cao! Master Yue!"

"Oh, dammit," Yue Jin said through gritted teeth.

A squad of four Scouts led by a Captain came into the battlefield with their swords raised, looking around for signs of trouble.

"Get out of here!" Cao Zhang yelled from his tree.

The squad looked around to find where his voice came from, but before they could do anything, Rairyu was behind them with a sadistic grin.

"Scatter!" the Captain yelled almost immediately.

Rairyu swung his sword, and while the Captain and three Scouts managed to escape, the fourth Scout was cut across the stomach, spattering an enormous amount of blood across the ground. The Scout dropped to his knees as he lightly grasped his intestines falling out of the wound, and he gasped lightly as he looked at the ground with wide eyes. Rairyu looked down at him with a malicious smile, and he grabbed the Scout's throat and lifted him into the air.

The Scout didn't have the strength to even try to resist as Rairyu held him face-to-face, the Scout's insides spilling onto the ground.

"Attack!" the Captain ordered.

He and all three of his remaining Scouts closed in on Rairyu with their weapons raised, and Rairyu looked around at them all with an unconcerned grin.

" _Lightning Bomb!_ "

Rairyu tightened his grip around the Scout's throat, causing a violent current of electricity to surge through his body. The Scout was killed instantly, and Rairyu dropped him to the ground just before disappearing, and the Captain and other Scouts gathered around the corpse. The electricity coursed through the Scout's body for a moment before a powerful explosion blasted the entire squad, shrouding them all in dust as blood spattered in all directions.

Yue Jin and Cao Zhang leapt out of the trees, and they both landed on the battlefield with their weapons raised. One after another, Rairyu, Rairen, and Danemon all appeared before them with their weapons raised. Zhang Jiao walked towards his men, looking at Yue Jin and Cao Zhang with a satisfied smile.

"Who the hell are you?" Yue Jin said as he watched Zhang Jiao approach them.

"I am the one who will bring down the Lord's Judgment upon you," Zhang Jiao told them.

"Is that so?" Cao Zhang said.

"Indeed. I am the great Zhang Jiao: servant to Lord Akuma, as well as God himself."

Yue Jin's eyes narrowed as he gritted his teeth, and he thought to himself, _Damn. Huang Gai was one thing. Now Zhang Jiao's wrapped up in this too? How far does Akuma's influence reach? How many other legends does he have on his side?_

"What are you doing here?" Cao Zhang asked as he stood braced for battle.

"What, it's not obvious?" Rairyu said.

"You two are prized members of Cao Pi's forces," Danemon stated. "Killing you will drastically weaken Wei's ability to fight the coming war."

"We're not dying anytime soon," Cao Zhang countered.

"Ah, the beautiful light of defiance," Zhang Jiao said pleasantly. "It is good when those facing crucifixion do not lose their will. I'm sorry to say, it won't last long."

"Wanna bet?" Yue Jin asked as he raised his sword.

Cao Zhang tightened his stance as well, but sweat rolled down both their cheeks. Rairyu, Rairen, and Danemon all pointed their weapons at the two of them, and Zhang Jiao backed away while his forces prepared to attack.

"Hey!"

Zhang Jiao and his men looked around, and three squads of Wei troops came out of the woods with their weapons raised.

"What are you doing?!" Yue Jin yelled.

"Get the hell out of here!" Cao Zhang commanded.

"We will never back down from an enemy!" one of the Captains said confidently. "All forces, attack!"

Three Captains and twelve Scouts charged at once with their swords ready to swing, and Rairyu, Rairen, Danemon, and Zhang Jiao all watched with amused grins on their faces.

"Alright, whose turn is it to take out the trash?" Rairyu asked with mock exasperation.

"I'll do it," Danemon said as he braced himself to charge. An aura of purple energy shrouded his feet, and after a second he said, " _Phantom Step!_ "

He shot forward at blinding speed, leaving purple energy in his wake, and he came through the attacking units, slashing three of them with his sword before they could react. Blood spattered through the air as the three injured warriors dropped to their knees, and the rest of them clamored to find Danemon, who was standing behind them. Danemon aimed his sword at them, and a ball of purple energy appeared in the air at the tip. Electricity surged off the energy ball, and the Captains and Scouts all took caution as they waited to see what was about to happen.

" _Phantom Arclight: Explosion!_ "

Danemon swung his sword through the air, and the energy ball shot at the group of warriors and hit the ground between them. Purple electricity coursed through the troops, paralyzing them all as they yelled out in pain. The energy ball surged on the ground for a moment before it erupted into a powerful explosion that blasted dust and rubble into the air around the soldiers.

Cao Zhang raised his spear and rushed forward, but Rairyu and Rairen immediately charged to intercept him. Rairyu charged electricity into the blade of his sword and called out, " _Lightning Pulse!_ "

He swung his sword around and fired a wave of electricity at Cao Zhang, who stopped cold and swung his spear upward. Water erupted off the ground and came into the air in a stream, intercepting the electricity which then surged through the water. Cao Zhang then spun in a full circle, bringing the electrified water around before he sent it flying at the Shimozuma Brothers. Rairyu and Rairen both shot into the air, flying in opposite directions as the water stream crashed into the ground, and Cao Zhang shot after Rairyu while Yue Jin went after Rairen.

As Zhang Jiao watched them with a pleasant smile, he said to himself, "This is going along beautifully. The sinners will soon see damnation." He then clapped his palms together, and he became shrouded in a gold, smoke-like light. "I do believe adding a final card to the field is in order." He focused his Soul, and the ground started to rumble underneath him.

Rairyu leapt through the trees with Cao Zhang in pursuit, and Cao Zhang aimed the tip of his spear at him and built up pressurized water into the blade.

" _Tidal Pressure!_ "

Cao Zhang fired a small, highly concentrated beam of water from the tip of his spear at Rairyu, who held out his sword in defense. The Tidal Pressure missed Rairyu's sword and went straight through his shoulder armor, grazing his shoulder and spattering blood into the air as he looked on with wide eyes. Cao Zhang landed on a tree branch, but before he could continue pursuing Rairyu, Nobuchika appeared next to him and swung his sword into him. Blood spattered through the air, and Cao Zhang hit the ground as more blood rained down while his spear clattered to the ground nearby. Nobuchika stood on the tree branch that he had attacked Rairyu from, and he looked down at him with his sword held at his side.

Rairyu appeared on a tree branch a few feet higher than Nobuchika, and he clutched his shoulder with his opposite hand while blood spilled through his fingers.

"You were reckless," Nobuchika said to Rairyu without looking at him.

"Shut the hell up," Rairyu said angrily. "He surprised me. It ain't gonna happen again."

"Fine, then," Nobuchika said as he watched Cao Zhang struggle to his feet.

Yue Jin looked on with wide eyes as blood exploded out of a gash going down his torso. Rairen watched from afar as Morichika looked at him with a grin, his sword held over his shoulder. Cao Zhang nearly made it to his feet before dropping to his knees, and Nobuchika aimed the tip of his sword down at him.

"We're ending this now."


End file.
